Interstellar Movie Review

By Brandon Fu
Rated: PG-13
Directed by: Christopher Nolan

Interstellar, the long anticipated movie by Christopher Nolan, tells the story of Cooper(played by Matthew McConaughey), an ex-engineer/pilot who leaves Earth with a team to find a habitable planet in which humankind can inhabit. This visually stunning movie is a must see for any Christopher Nolan fan. Although the hype around this movie is immense, there are still  problems.

The Good:

1. The visuals
The visuals are absolutely beautiful, showing black holes and space that have never been seen in film. This can be attributed to Nolan's desire for perfection. seeing as there is much more attention to detail then most space travel films.

2. The score
The score, which is by Hans Zimmer, is intense and makes one feel alone and gives an illusion of being in  space. The use of organs in particular gives it a very powerful feeling of eeriness and looming doom. As I was watching the movie, these sounds are barely noticeable, but when the sound cuts out and there is only music, the intensity is turned up a hundred notches. The score as a whole is reflective of Zimmers' work, showing that he is a musical genius able to make people actually notice the soundtrack.

3. The Science
The science in Interstellar is actually well explained and is somewhat understandable when scrutinized. Just another layer to add on top of the cake.

4. The Emotion/Acting
The emotions and acting are top notch. Matthew McConaughey kills it, along with the chemistry with his costars Anne Hathaway and McKenzie Foy.

The Bad:

1. The Conveniences
I won't spoil this, but towards the end of the movie there are a string of conveniences that seem very unlikely when thought about.

2. Deviation
The difference in mood between the last ten minutes and the rest of the movie is so drastic that I can;t help but mention it. All science goes out the window.

3. Plot
The plot, minus the connection between Cooper and Murph(Cooper's daughter), is just a movie making pit stops at different planets. From the beginning of the movie I could anticipate the outcome of the ending. A movie that does this feels very generic. A movie should throw curve balls to keep the audience on its toes.

In general, Interstellar is definitely worth checking out and is one of the more visually stunning movies of the year. After listing all the good and bad, the best thing to do is see this movie in theaters. Due to the stark contrast of colors and visuals, watching this movie at home is not worth it. Watch it in theaters. Do not wait for the DVD release. Watch it in theaters.

This movie is not the next 2001 A Space Odyssey, but rather it is an overall well shot, well directed movie with great visuals and great acting performances that contains small errors here and there. Interstellar is definitely worth watching.

3.5/5